Mango gets all the attention, but open the pickle shelf in a lot of Maharashtrian kitchens and you'll find a few other jars sitting next to it: a sweet lemon one the children like, a sour avala one, maybe a fiery green chilli one for bhakri, and sometimes kavath. They are all called lonche (the Marathi word for pickle), they are all made by the same kind of small women's groups, and they don't taste anything alike.
The short answer: pick by the job you want the pickle to do. For a sweet-sour spoonful beside curd rice or khichdi, go for god limbu (sweet lemon) or an avala muramba. For a sharp, sour bite, plain or spicy lemon, avala or kavath. For heat with bhakri, mirchi or lasun. Karle and halad are acquired tastes, worth a small jar first. If you're not sure, start with a 200–250 g jar of each kind rather than a kilo of one.
First decide: sweet, sour or hot?
Almost every non-mango pickle on UmedMart falls into one of three families, and knowing which one you're looking at tells you more than the brand name does.
- Sweet-sour: fruit cooked or cured with sugar or jaggery. Sweet lemon (god limbu), avala muramba, dates (khajur) pickle. Gentle, a little sticky, good for people who find pickle too harsh.
- Sour and salty: lemon, avala, kavath. The sourness comes from the fruit itself, sharpened with salt, chilli and mustard. This is the everyday "a little on the side of the plate" kind.
- Hot and pungent: green chilli, garlic, fresh turmeric, methi. Eaten in very small amounts, usually with bhakri, chapati or plain dal-rice.
Karle (bitter gourd) is its own thing: bitter first, then spicy. More on that below.
Limbu (lemon): the biggest family, and three quite different styles
Lemon is the biggest non-mango family on UmedMart, and the one where the label matters most, because "lemon pickle" can mean a sweet preserve or something properly sharp.
God limbu: sweet lemon pickle
Here the lemon pieces are cooked with sugar and mild spices, so the peel softens and the whole thing turns sweet, tangy and slightly syrupy. The Ratnagiri group that makes the Laxmi Narayan jar describes exactly this method on its listing. It's the lemon pickle for children, for anyone who doesn't eat much spice, and for curd rice.
- LAXMI NARAYAN Sweet Lemon Pickle, 200 g, ₹198.33, Laxmi Narayan Mahila SHG, Ratnagiri.
- ANUJ FOODS Sweet Lemon Pickle, 200 g, ₹186.35, Bhagini Nivedita SHG, Ambad, Jalna.
- MAHALAKSHMI FOODS Sweet Lemon Pickle, 250 g, ₹192, Gramvikas Mahila SHG, Pune district.
- MANE Sweet Lemon Pickle, 100 g, ₹130, Shri Sai SHG, Kolhapur: the smallest jar, if you just want to try the style.
Plain (khatta) lemon pickle
Salt, lemon, chilli, mustard, oil. Sour and salty rather than sweet, with a little heat. The peel is firm in a new jar and softens slowly as the pickle matures, so a jar that tastes sharp and slightly bitter in its first weeks often mellows later. This is the one most people mean by "nimbu ka achar".
- ANUJ FOODS Lemon Pickle, 200 g, ₹168.37, Bhagini Nivedita SHG, Jalna.
- RUNANUBANDH Lemon Pickle, Savitri SHG, Achara, Sindhudurg: 200 g at ₹174.36 or 1 kg at ₹336.15 (about ₹34 per 100 g, the best value on this page if you're sure you like it).
- ASHA FOODS Limbu Lonache, 250 g, ₹202, Maitrey SHG, Satara.
Spicy (tikhat) lemon, and lemon with extras
Same base, more chilli. Sold as "spicy" or "tikhat", these are for people who want the lemon to bite back.
- VARDHINI Spicy Lemon Pickle, 250 g, ₹159, Sumedha Gruh, Wardha.
- PARI FOODS Spicy Limboo Pickle, 500 g, ₹288, Indira Gandhi SHG, Latur.
- LAXMI NARAYAN Lemon Ginger Chili Pickle, 200 g, ₹198.33, Ratnagiri: lemon pieces with fresh ginger and chilli.
Limbu-mirchi, lemon and green chilli together, is covered with the other chilli pickles in our red chilli guide.
Avala (amla): sour, astringent, and very Maharashtrian
Avala is the Marathi name for amla, the Indian gooseberry. On its own the fruit is sharply sour with a dry, puckering finish, and that carries into the pickle: it's less juicy than lemon and more savoury. Amla comes into the markets in the cooler months, which is when households that make their own tend to do it.
You'll see a lot of health language attached to amla on packaging. We're not repeating any of it here. Buy avala pickle because you like the taste.
- RUNANUBANDH Avala Pickle, 200 g, ₹174.36, Savitri SHG, Sindhudurg.
- ANUJ FOODS Amla Pickle, 200 g, ₹168, Bhagini Nivedita SHG, Jalna.
- MADHURA Aonla Pickle, 250 g, ₹216.31, Bharari Swayam Sahayata, Amravati.
- SAMRUDHI'S Awala Pickle, 350 g, ₹252, Annapurna SHG, Amravati.
- GODAWARI Awala Pickle, 300 g, ₹192, Godavari SHG, Amravati.
Avala muramba is a different product. A muramba is a sweet preserve, the fruit cured in sugar syrup, closer to a jam you eat by the spoon than to a pickle. If you want amla without the sourness and spice, this is the one: GODAWARI Awala Muramba, 300 g, ₹192, from the same Amravati group. Our mango pickle guide explains the muramba-versus-lonche difference for mango.
Kavath (wood apple): sour-sweet, and mostly from Vidarbha here
Kavath is a round fruit with a hard, woody shell and brown, sticky, sour-sweet pulp inside. It's best known in Maharashtra as kavthachi chutney, mixed with jaggery and chilli, and the pickle is a spicier, longer-keeping version of the same idea. All three kavath pickles below come from Vidarbha groups, in Wardha and Amravati.
One thing to watch: in English, "wood apple" is used for two different fruits. Kavath (Limonia acidissima) is one. Bael (Aegle marmelos), the fruit used for bael sharbat, is the other, and it tastes quite different. If a jar says "wood apple", look for the word kavath, kavat or kawat to be sure which you're getting.
- VARDHINI Wood Apple (Kavat) Pickle, 250 g, ₹159, Sumedha Gruh, Wardha. Its listing describes it as bold and tangy.
- MADHURA Kavath Pickle, 300 g, ₹228.29, Bharari Swayam Sahayata, Amravati.
- SAMRUDHI'S Kawat Pickle, 350 g, ₹252, Annapurna SHG, Amravati.
If you like kavath's sweet-sour edge, you'll probably like karvand too. See our karvand guide for the pickles, chutneys and jams made from it.
Karle (bitter gourd): bitter first, then spicy
Karle pickle is sliced bitter gourd with spices and oil. The spices and oil take some of the edge off the bitterness, but it's still unmistakably bitter, which is exactly why the people who like it really like it. It's usually eaten with bhakri or chapati, a very small amount at a time.
Bitter gourd pickle is often sold with claims about blood sugar. We don't make that claim, and a spoon of pickle (which also contains salt and oil) isn't a substitute for anything your doctor has advised.
- PARI FOODS Karale Pickle, 250 g, ₹210, Indira Gandhi SHG, Latur.
- LAXMI NARAYAN Bitter Gourd Karale Pickle, 200 g, ₹198.33, Ratnagiri.
- AAI Vaishnavi Bitter Gourd Pickle, 250 g, ₹252.26, from Beed.
- MAI Bitter Gourd Pickle, 1 kg, ₹587.81, from Ahilyanagar, only if you already know you love it.
Lasun, halad and methi: the pungent ones
Lasun (garlic) pickle is whole or halved cloves in a spiced oil. It's strong, so a couple of cloves go a long way with dal-rice or bhakri.
- NISARG Garlic Pickle, 250 g, ₹276.23, Sanyog Swayam Sahayta, Akola. Its listing names mustard oil and fenugreek in the masala.
- MADHURA Garlic Pickle, 250 g, ₹208, Bharari Swayam Sahayata, Amravati.
Halad (turmeric) pickle is traditionally made from fresh turmeric root, not powder, usually in winter when the fresh root is in the market. It's earthy and slightly bitter, and some families sharpen it with lemon. The two listings below don't say on the page exactly how they're made, so think of them as a first taste rather than a known recipe. For turmeric powder, including Maharashtra's three GI turmerics, see our turmeric guide.
- KAVYA Halad Pickle, 200 g, ₹190, Vighnaharta SHG, Kolhapur.
- PARI FOODS Halad Pickle, 200 g, ₹240, Indira Gandhi SHG, Latur.
Methi (fenugreek) pickle leans bitter and nutty. Neither listing says whether it's built on methi seeds or mixed with something else, so start small.
- MADHURA Methi Pickle, 250 g, ₹208, Amravati.
- PARI FOODS Methi Pickle, 250 g, ₹210, Latur.
Mirchi lonche: green chilli for bhakri
The red chilli guide already covers green chilli and limbu-mirchi pickles. Four more groups make it, if you want to compare:
- KYADHU RITESH Mirchi Lonche, 200 g, ₹178, Shivashakati SHG, Hingoli. Its makers describe it as an everyday partner for bhakri and poli.
- SHADRAS Chilli Lonche, 400 g, ₹300.19, Vishakha SHG, Latur: a masala-heavy style rather than plain chilli.
- NISARG Chilly Pickle, 250 g, ₹246.27, Sanyog Swayam Sahayta, Akola.
- RUNANUBANDH Chilly Pickle, 200 g, ₹177.96, Savitri SHG, Sindhudurg.
The less usual jars
- HARDARA Jackfruit Pickle, 250 g, ₹166, Durga SHG, Yavatmal. Made from raw jackfruit, which holds its shape and stays firm. Its listing calls it mildly sweet.
- ASHA FOODS Khajur (Dates) Lonache, 200 g, ₹202, Maitrey SHG, Satara: sweet-sour, a good partner for a sharp lemon pickle on the same plate.
- VARDHINI Carrot Pickle, 250 g, ₹196, Sumedha Gruh, Wardha, described on its listing as spicy and tangy.
- MANE Mix Pickle, 100 g, ₹130, Shri Sai SHG, Kolhapur. The listing doesn't say what goes in the mix, so treat it as a small trial jar.
Price per 100 g, at a glance
Small jars cost more per gram. These are the prices checked for this guide:
| Pickle | Pack | Price | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| RUNANUBANDH Lemon | 1 kg | ₹336.15 | ≈ ₹34 |
| PARI Spicy Limboo | 500 g | ₹288 | ≈ ₹58 |
| MAI Bitter Gourd | 1 kg | ₹587.81 | ≈ ₹59 |
| VARDHINI Spicy Lemon / Kavat | 250 g | ₹159 | ≈ ₹64 |
| GODAWARI Awala / Awala Muramba | 300 g | ₹192 | ≈ ₹64 |
| HARDARA Jackfruit | 250 g | ₹166 | ≈ ₹66 |
| SAMRUDHI'S Awala / Kawat | 350 g | ₹252 | ≈ ₹72 |
| SHADRAS Chilli Lonche | 400 g | ₹300.19 | ≈ ₹75 |
| MADHURA Kavath | 300 g | ₹228.29 | ≈ ₹76 |
| ANUJ Lemon | 200 g | ₹168.37 | ≈ ₹84 |
| RUNANUBANDH Avala | 200 g | ₹174.36 | ≈ ₹87 |
| ANUJ Sweet Lemon | 200 g | ₹186.35 | ≈ ₹93 |
| NISARG Garlic | 250 g | ₹276.23 | ≈ ₹110 |
| PARI Halad | 200 g | ₹240 | ≈ ₹120 |
| MANE Sweet Lemon / Mix | 100 g | ₹130 | ₹130 |
Keeping a jar good once it's open
- Dry spoon, every time. A wet or used spoon is the most common reason a homemade pickle spoils early.
- Keep the oil on top. In oil-based pickles (lemon, chilli, garlic, karle) a layer of oil over the pieces protects them. Press the pieces down after serving.
- Fridge after opening, especially in summer and the monsoon. Several of these groups recommend it on their listings, and it does no harm.
- Throw it out if you see fuzzy mould or it smells off. Don't scrape the top and carry on.
Words like "natural", "chemical-free" and "no artificial essence" appear on almost every jar. Our guide to what SHG food labels actually mean explains how much weight to put on them.
Quick questions
What does "lonche" mean?
Lonche (also written lonache) is simply the Marathi word for pickle. Limbu lonche is lemon pickle, mirchi lonche is chilli pickle, and so on.
What's the difference between sweet lemon pickle and lemon pickle?
Sweet lemon pickle (god limbu) is cooked with sugar, so it's sweet, soft and mild. Plain lemon pickle is salted and spiced, so it's sour and salty, and spicy lemon pickle adds more chilli on top.
Is kavath the same as bael?
No. Both are called "wood apple" in English, but kavath (Limonia acidissima) and bael (Aegle marmelos) are different fruits. Kavath is the one used in Maharashtrian kavath chutney and pickle.
Does karela pickle help with blood sugar?
We don't make that claim. Karela pickle is a condiment with salt and oil in it. If you're managing blood sugar, follow your doctor's advice rather than any pickle label.
Why does a new lemon pickle taste bitter?
A young lemon pickle can taste sharp and a little bitter from the peel and pith. It usually mellows as the peel softens over the following weeks.
Which pickle is best for someone who doesn't like spice?
Sweet lemon pickle or avala muramba. Dates pickle is another gentle option.
Prices and availability above were checked on 2 October 2026 and can change. Browse more in the Pickles & Karvand Chutney collection.
Related reading
- Sweet, Tangy, or Lonche? Maharashtra's Mango Pickle Isn't Just One Thing: the mango side of the shelf.
- What Is Karvand? Maharashtra's Tart Little Berry, and Five SHG Ways to Preserve It.
- Kashmiri, Bedgi, Sankeshwari or Tez? A Plain-English Guide to Buying Lal Tikhat: including mirchi lonche, sandgi mirchi and thecha.
- Udid, Rice, Wheat, Ragi or Potato? A Plain-English Guide to Maharashtra's Papad: the other thing that goes on the side of the plate.
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